Homilies and Stuff

Homily for Holy Thursday



Turns out our Mass is a lot like the Mass celebrated by the really early Christians. To read St. Justin Martyr's First Apologia, go here and scroll down to Chapters 65-67.

Here is the translation of the text that is used in the Liturgy of the Hours, and which I was using in the homily.

How to Prepare for a Holy Death - Fr. Kevin Belgrave



A special Lenten talk given at St. Ann's by Fr. Kevin Belgrave on how to prepare for a holy death.


Temptation Through Infidelity
Weigel 01

Triumph Over Infidelity
Weigel 02

Temptation Through Despair
Weigel 03

Triumph Over Despair
Weigel 04

Temptation Through Impatience
Weigel 05

Triumph Over Impatience
Weigel 06

Temptation Through Vainglory
Weigel 07

Triumph Over Vainglory
Weigel 08

Temptation Through Avarice
Weigel 09

Triumph Over Avarice
Weigel 10

Triumph Over Temptation
Weigel 11

Homily for the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time



Jesus didn't come to make the commandments less important to fulfil, but more important, and even harder. But he gives us the grace we need to fulfil them, and it's totally worth it!

Right-click here to download the file (Choose “Save link as…", or something like that).

Homily for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord



The glory of God returned when the Messiah was presented in the Temple by His parents. Now, we have the privileged opportunity to bask in His glory every time we put ourselves before His Presence in the Tabernacle. But God does not want to remain there. Our eyes have seen His salvation. We are sent forth to bring the light of His revelation to all peoples so that all would know Him and offer Him right worship.

Right-click here to download the file (Choose “Save link as…").

Again, I've drawn from some of the main ideas from the Fr. Robert Barron in this sermon. Fr. Barron is a priest whom I respect a great deal. Find more of his (better) homilies here. You can also subscribe to his podcast in iTunes by clicking here.

Homily for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord



At our baptism, we were grafted onto Jesus Christ, and just as he was a priest, prophet and king, so we too participate in those same roles in our own Christian lives.

In the interest of full disclosure, much of this homily was lifted from Fr. Robert Barron, a priest whom I respect and admire a great deal (after all, the good borrow, the great steal). Find more of his (better) homilies here. You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes by clicking here.

Here are some passages from the Catechism related to our incorporation into Christ the priest, prophet and king:

CCC 783
Jesus Christ is the one whom the Father anointed with the Holy Spirit and established as priest, prophet, and king. The whole People of God participates in these three offices of Christ and bears the responsibilities for mission and service that flow from them.
CCC 1241
The anointing with sacred chrism, perfumed oil consecrated by the bishop, signifies the gift of the Holy Spirit to the newly baptized, who has become a Christian, that is, one "anointed" by the Holy Spirit, incorporated into Christ who is anointed priest, prophet, and king.
CCC 1546
Christ, high priest and unique mediator, has made of the Church "a kingdom, priests for his God and Father." The whole community of believers is, as such, priestly. The faithful exercise their baptismal priesthood through their participation, each according to his own vocation, in Christ's mission as priest, prophet, and king. Through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation the faithful are "consecrated to be . . . a holy priesthood."

Homily for the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God


The title of Mary as Mother of God proclaims clearly that the One to whom she gave birth truly is God. In fact, He is one Divine person who is both fully God and fully Man. The feast day is a clear example of how devotion to Mary actually helps us to know and love her Son better. True devotion to Mary never takes away from our relationship with Jesus Christ, but protects and even fosters it.

Right-click here to download the file (Choose “Save link as…").

Resources from the Catechism
On Nestorianism (click here)
On Mary as the Theotokos (Mother of God) (click here)

From the Catholic Encyclopedia entry for the "Blessed Virgin Mary"
Mary's Divine motherhood is based on the teaching of the Gospels, on the writings of the Fathers, and on the express definition of the Church. St. Matthew (1:25) testifies that Mary "brought forth her first-born son" and that He was called Jesus. According to St. John (1:15) Jesus is the Word made flesh, the Word Who assumed human nature in the womb of Mary. As Mary was truly the mother of Jesus, and as Jesus was truly God from the first moment of His conception, Mary is truly the mother of God. Even the earliest Fathers did not hesitate to draw this conclusion as may be seen in the writings of St. Ignatius, St. Irenaeus, and Tertullian. The contention of Nestorius denying to Mary the title "Mother of God" was followed by the teaching of the Council of Ephesus proclaiming Mary to be Theotokos in the true sense of the word.

Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family


We see that each member of the Holy Family puts God's will first in His or her life, and that God chose to come into the world through the Holy Family. It is important more than ever that members of Catholic Christian families also put God's will first in their lives today so that God can continue to come into our world through holy families.

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Homily for the Solemnity of Christ the King


It is fitting that today's Solemnity marks the close of the Year of Faith. Has this year of grace helped expand the Kingdom of God in our own lives? How have we helped expand the Kingdom of God through our efforts to make disciples of all nations? How many disciples have you made this past year?

Homily for the Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time


We aren't dualists. What we do with our bodies matters because we are a union of body and soul, and God plans on redeeming the human person, body and soul, in the resurrection of the dead. (Sorry folks, this one's a little long).